Acoustic tile



Oct. 10, 1933. J. D. MACDONELL 1,929,751

ACOUSTIC TILE I Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVEN TOR. MQJOMZZ 6 A TTORNE Y.

Oct. 10, 1933. I Y J; D. MACDONELL 1,929,751

ACOUSTIC TILE Filed July 50. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. kfoZmfl yacfiaraell B Y A TTORNE Y.

w s Oct. 10, 1933- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACOUSTIC TILE John D. Macdonell, Chicago, 111. Application July so, 1932. Serial No. 626,602

' 4' Claims. (cl. 72-18) My invention relates to interior wall finishing titles and like devices.

My invention relates more specifically to an interior wall tile of the type used in connection with sound-proofing walls for theatreabroadcasting terialis provided and in which-tiles have been secured to the walls and ceilings by suitable fastening means. These fastening means have in one which hollow tiles of the type described have been fastened so that the entire assembly can besecured to the wall. One of the purposes of the construction of tile which I have provided is to eliminate these additional T-bar fasteners and secure the tile filled, with the sound deadening 'material directly to the wall.

An object of my invention is to provide an im-= proved acoustic tile of the class specified.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved acoustic tile of the type described capable of being fastened directly to the wall.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved acoustic tiles of the type described capable of being secured together to form an integral wall construction after the same has been applied.

A further object is to provide an improved construction of acoustic tile whereby the same may be easily and simply secured together to form a 66 lasting connection.

A further object is to provide 'an acoustic tile of the type described that is easily and cheaply manufactured, and easily and cheaply installed.

Other objects and advantages will bevmore apparent from thefollowing description wherein reference is had to the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings upon which Fig. 1 is a'horizontal sectional view through a ceiling to which my improved acoustic tile has been applied with parts broken away to foreshorten the same;

2 is a plan view of one of my improved tiles of the type used for a starting course;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a slightly changed tile 60 capable ofbeing securely attached to the tile shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view of the same tile turned in an opposite direction to illustrate how the same can 7 be secured to the starting tile from the opposite side thereof; a

common form been in the shape of 'a T-bar to Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of a modified type of tile;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through a ceiling showing the manner in which this tile is connected together and applied to the ceiling. This view is taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7; v 5

Fig. 9 is a similar sectional'view on a reduced scale taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the tiles shown in Fig. '7.

In Fig. 1, I show the preferred form of my invention, wherein I employ a hollow sheet metal tile 10 that is rectangular in shape and is provided with the two nailing ledges 12 and 14 so that the same can be rigidly secured to a wall or ceiling 16 by means of the nails or similar fasteners 18. The nailing ledges 12 and 14 are formed with an upright ledge 20 thereon which extends almost to the face 22 of the tile and is then doubled over upon itself as shown at 24. The face 22 of the tile is formed with a plurality of openings 26 which are preferably made by indenting from the face 22 to form the inwardly turned projection 28 for a purpose which will be more clearly described hereinafter. The face 22 of the tile is formed with the decorative V slot 30 extending centrally thereof and each edge 31 is beveled so that in conjuction with an adjoining tile a similar V slot 30 is formed.

The fastening means 18 may pass through suitable openings 34 in the flanges. 12 and 14. The tiles 22 shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may be in all respects similar to the tile 22 except that one side 36 thereof will be formed with a straight wall portion 38 which has a plurality of bulges 40 formed therein. These bulges 40 are adapted, when thewall 38 is pressed in place between the upright wall 20 and the side wall 42 of tile 22, to spring into and be retained in openings 43 in the side walls42. From the foregoing description, it is believed to be clear that the method of applying these tiles is easily understood. After a row of tiles 22 has been nailed into place, tiles 22 may be secured thereto in the manner described and the outer edge flanges 46 of these tiles are adapted to be nailed to the wall. A pair of brace members 48 are arranged to be turned out from the walls 20 of the tile 22 to suitably brace the flanges 12 and 14 as well as the walls 20. A quantity of wool or other sound-deadening material S .is placed inside of each of the hollow tiles 22 and 22*, being held spaced from the faces thereof by the projections 28.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, I provide similar rectangular hollow interlocking tile units which, however, are adapted to interlock in a slightly difierent manner. In the form shown in these figures, I provide a tile 50 formed with a front wall 51, side walls 52 and securing flanges 53. Suitable fasteners such as nails 54 are adapted to extend through suitable openings 55 and flanges 53 to secure the tile to a wall or ceiling 60. At a point adjacent to the side walls 52, I provide an inwardly turned U portion 56 provided with an opening or slot 5'7. The tile 50, similar to the tile 22 previously described, may be formed with two of these U shaped flanges and the adjacent tiles 61 and 62 are in all respects similar except that they may be formed with one U shaped socket 56 along one edge 52 and on the opposite side with a lateral flange portion 63 of a length sufiicient to fit into the U shaped flanged portions 56. With theabove construction, it can be seen that tiles 50 maybe employed as a starting course and tiles 62 may be employed on both sides thereof, each one provided with one flange member 63 and with one U shaped opening 56. In this manner, a plurality of these tiles, such as shown in Fig. 7, can easily and quickly be built up of any desired size. The tiles 50, 61 and 62 are formed 'with openings 66 which may be made in any suitable manner but which are preferably made in the manner described hereinbefore. These hollow tiles are adapted to be nailed to a wall or ceiling'andcontained therein a quantity of sound deadening material S as herein previously described.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a highly improved sound deadening tile has been provided wherein all extraneous fastening units have been eliminated. By the improved construction which I provided, it is possible to build up a wall or ceiling with my improved acoustic tiles by simply nailing them in suitable manner to the wall or ceiling.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications may be made in the specific details thereof, and I do not wish to limit myself to the exact form or details shown; rather, what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

1. An acoustic tile comprising. a hollow boxshaped sheet metal member having a pair of opposite side walls bent away and back to form a nailing ledge, a plurality of openings in one of said side walls, an adjacent sheet metal member having a plurality of bumps thereon, said openings in one of said members and said bumps in an adjacent member adapted to interlock to support said adjacent member, a. plurality of prongs pressed inwardly from the faces of each of said members and a filler of sound-deadening material in said members.

2. A sheet metal tile having a body portion, flange portions at the sides and ends extending in planes at right angles to theplane of the body portion, a portion of said flanges extending parallel to the body portion, the end flanges each having end portions forming nailing edges, a plurality of vertical ribs struck up in said flange portions to support the same, said flange portions having a plurality of openings therein, a filler in said tile and a plurality of prongs pressed inwardly from the face thereof to support said filler I away from the face thereof.

3. A hollow rectangular sheet metal tile having in combination therewith a pair of nailing ledges, said ledges formed by downwardly and outwardly pressed portions of said metal, each ledge having a second wall member parallel to the side walls of said tile and spaced therefrom whereby said ledges are capable of supporting adjacent metal tiles and a plurality of brace members struck out from said wall members to support said nailing ledges.

4. In combination a hollow horizontal sheet 110 metal tile having a body portion, flange portions at the ends thereof extending in planes at right angles to the plane of the body portion, said flange portions having a portion extending parallel to the body portion bent back upon itself and extending parallel to the flange portion and spaced therefrom, a second tile member having a body portion and flange portions at the ends thereof extending in planes at right angles to the plane of the body portion, each flange portion having a 120 plurality of bulges formed therein, said tiles adapted to be interlocked together with the flange portion of the second member positioned between the flange portion and-the upright wall of the first member and interlocking therewith by the 125 positioning of said bulges in a plurality of openings in the flange portion of said first mentioned tile.

Join: D. MACDONELL. 

